


The One with the Deadly Glance

by mitochondrials



Category: Avengers (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Carol Danvers - Mentioned, M/M, Minor Character Death, Natasha Romanov - Mentioned - Freeform, Steve Rogers - mentioned - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2019-08-29 16:50:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16747822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mitochondrials/pseuds/mitochondrials
Summary: Tony Stark, a Knight-Enchanter of the Sovereignty, breeches a Hydra stronghold in search of James, his missing teammate - and the love of his life - against his better judgement. Once inside, however, Tony faces a much darker consequence than execution.





	The One with the Deadly Glance

**Author's Note:**

> For feignedsobriquet, who inspired me with her absolutely amazing and beautiful art, and for helping me polish out this story near the last minute. You can check out her art by clicking [here](http://feignedsobriquet.tumblr.com/post/180637569220)!
> 
> Also a great big thank you to [Cinna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinnamon_Anemone) and my other beta's. You guys are the best!
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading!~

dragon (n.)

 - _Perhaps the literal sense is "the one with the (deadly) glance."_  

Online Etymology Dictionary 

 

- 

 

Tony casually paced himself, traveling the path along the marsh that lead to literally nowhere. 

 

Not  _ nowhere _ , he supposed. But it damn felt like nowhere - unless you were willing to take a swim to the next island almost thousands of leagues out - you were stuck looping back around. It was somewhat large, if he was going to go by how many times he'd gotten himself lost amongst the endless rows of trees that the island was known for.

 

The Island of the Apple Trees.

 

"Come on, James," Tony muttered under his breath, his fingers twitching and crackling with electricity. "Where are you?"

 

It was eerie being the only person traveling through the fog and icy chill that the late autumn covered him with. He was dressed in layers, hiding his armor, while his staff was cleverly designed to shorten into a cane that he held against his chest. If the royal guard wasn't looking for him, Steve's knights would be. The royal guard could bite him, but Steve's knights ...

 

He sighed, his eyes intently scanning the terrain for any sign of what he's been searching for. Steve was no royal guard, and it'd been years now since Steve bothered working for the Sovereignty. He was a Knight-Commander, and Tony's most dearest, closest friend. Without Steve, there'd be no him. No  _ anything _ . 

 

Steve was his everything since that day  _ they _ discovered him in the ice, coasting along the waters despite the Sovereignty’s orders. Eyes glowing like legend and stronger than any mortal man. 

 

James came later - another legend returned to life. 

 

There was a movement out of the corner of his eye, catching his attention towards the right of the path where a rough patch of hill melded into hard rock. To the left, through the trees, only the breeze blew. The harvesters would be out picking the Apples by now, and Tony could taste a magic that was not his own flavor his tongue the closer he walked. It grew stronger, until he could hear voices murmuring down the hill - and blocked by a barrier that was invisible to the naked eye. 

 

Bright green sizzled against the grey of the rocks. “Well,” he licked his lips and dared to press his hand against the barrier. Immediately it defended itself by shocking him with a full volt of electricity. 

 

He rushed to move away, shaking his hand and flexing his fingers. “Not too bad,” he approved. He’s shocked himself worse working on the his specialized weapons, but that was also to say a lone mage wasn’t responsible for such a massive shield including defensive capabilities. Something like this needed several people charging it, bare the magical burden and all that. 

 

Using the tip of his staff he drew a symbol in the air facing the Shield, effectively tearing a hole through it, and allowing him to pull it wide enough to slip through taking minimal damage. Being detected was another matter, so he slipped on his hood and crouched down along the ground.

The brush and fallen leaves crunched under his feet, but he refused to expend anymore of his magic just yet. You see, magic can track magic. And then there were the Knights and Knight-Commanders - like Steve, who were trained in the sole purpose of tracking magic and dispeling it. The Cult of Hydra - as he desperately hoped it was - probably had Knights more terrifying than anything Tony could imagine in their pursuit to mimic the magic that made Steve superhuman. (And James, and the Widow chimera he ventured calling his friend, Natasha. But this is a much longer, older story.)

 

There were Knights further down near the coast. They were standing guard at a large, carved entrance that lead into a dark cave. There armor - of course - was a tacky dark green. Neither were wearing their helmets, chatting amongst themselves. 

 

Knights, ugh. The cult of Hydra deserved no such titles, but Tony didn’t know how to describe them any other way.  _ Morons in armor? _ Seemed accurate.  _ Overly confident, more like. _ And wasn’t that just as stupid?

 

He was about to find out.

Taking a deep breath, he pulled into himself, feeling the caress of the energy flowing inside him beneath his veins. His essence - the source of all natural magic that existed through his life-blood and in the spirits of the land. He called it forward, imagining it all flowing towards his fingertips. 

 

It was a bit of a cliche for every spell to need a spoken incantation to go along with it. Time consuming, too. He swung open his staff with his left hand and willed his magic to take the shape of a thin but long bladed sword on the other. Throwing a couple rocks in the opposite direction, he all but rushed behind the closest of the two, gutting them open while blocking the other knights defensive using his staff that was enchanted to automatically blast a barrier when struck. 

 

"Shit!" The other knight swore, jolting back, eyes wide in surprise.  They struck another blow quickly, leaving barely enough time for Tony to dodge, pushing them back with a decisive jab using the staff and then cutting through their gauntlet like silk. Their sword fell to the ground with a thud and Tony took the killing blow, slicing off their head in one precise swing of his blade. 

 

There was no sign of reinforcements, thankfully. Yet from the stories Tony had heard about Hydra, he figured they’d be clever enough to assume someone wouldn’t manage on breaking on in eventually - especially when knowing about several of the raiding parties out here in search of missing villagers. 

 

Searching like him.

 

He took cover inside the darkness of the cave’s entrance, spotting two lit torches directly in front of him. They led down to a sloping, singlar path that eventually branched off into various directions. He had drained so much of his magic fighting just those two guards alone, there was no possible way he could tackle a whole squadron. Not without revealing his armor, first, anyway. 

 

It was almost eerie how there was nothing but the sound of his feet crunching in the dirt - there wasn’t a point in walking slowly. He needed to find James, and he needed to find James fast. Hydra was more than likely hiding something down here, and whatever they had wanted with James meant the bulk of their little cult would be kept in one small, confined area. All these other paths were used as an extra defence by getting intruders lost. 

 

Gonna have to risk it, he thought, taking off the glove covering his left gauntlet and outstretching his palm. Inside the palm itself was a clear crystal he designed to amplify his magic without having to utilize a staff. He also designed it as a conduit, channeling of his magic into a deadly energy beam. For now, he simply wanted some light while he looked for tracks in the dirt, and his armor was the safest and actually drained less of his magic than you would think. 

 

It took what felt like hours, weaving between stalagmites and going up and down and up and down, hitting dead ends before Tony caught of glimpse of a boot print. The trail came and went, the owner apparently very delicate on their feet, but soon he was lead through another doorway that circled left, littered with torches. It was still silent, but Tony knew better than to trust that. Chanting quietly to himself - yes, an incantation this time - he cast an invisibility spell upon himself and dashed forward. 

 

First he could hear the murmuring of voices and the soft pattering of feet, reaching what looked like their main gathering room. There were a few benches and tables, and rows of wine racks along the wall. Knights and mages chatted amongst themselves as if they were just ordinary people, some polishing their armor and others sharing ale leisurely. Beyond them were three other doorways.

 

It was gonna be a long day. 

 

But at least he was able to see now. Through the clamor he gracefully tiptoed around them, shucking his robes quietly behind a barrel conveniently placed right next to one of the doorways. His staff went into a nice little compartment in the armor’s back, leaving him room to maneuver about. 

He didn’t hear the spy brushing beside him, following past the closest doorway facing his right side. He was busy debating the probability all three doors leading into the same set of rooms from different directions like one big circle - one of them holding James.

 

Well, he hoped. See, besides James defeating Red Skull alongside Steve all those centuries ago, there was really no other connection between them. James grew up and was bound to a magical ore, the same as Steve, giving him his own super strength in the foreign warring nation of Red Leaves. 

 

He was distant, and Tony almost confused his hesitancy as shyness the first time they met. The air between him and Steve was awkward, in such a way Tony felt for for Steve’s quiet moments of grief, having been something of a father figure to James. But James mourned from a distance, Tony realized in time. 

  
  


James brooded constantly and enjoyed perching himself in corners during shared missions, as far as possible from the team, and especially as far as possible from Steve.  He isn’t above killing, nor above ignoring orders when necessary. (That is, all the time.) He’s reckless in combat and barely gives a damn about the consequences - a man after Tony own heart, so much so, that Tony started flocking to him like a moth to a flame.  It was a fruitless venture - of course - but Tony wouldn’t deny himself the pleasure of getting lost in James’ deep, brown eyes. 

 

He flushed, getting off topic. The point was James preferred going rogue over being with the team. Sometimes he’d pair with Natasha, but that was even rarer. Carol, the second in charge after him since Steve has been gone, shrugged her shoulders, certain James couldn’t be in any danger when Tony confided in her this nagging hunch he had. This gut feeling he’s had once the Baron of Brightwood started complaining about the missing villagers - villagers who had yet to be found.

 

The narrow hall he’d been studiously trailing transformed into pitch black darkness. The rustling of feet - a single person dancing around him. She had him by the neck before he could attempt to throw her off, giggling in his ear. 

 

“What a pretty catch! Knight-Enchanter Stark gracing Hydra with his presence.” She bashed in the back of his knee, forcing him down on the floor. He felt her swipe his staff, and she latched a ribbon around his wrist, causing him to hiss in pain. His magic was being shut off and draining rapidly out of him, leaving him helpless against her dragging him wherever she wanted to go. 

 

She said nothing else, and by the time they reached light again it was to shuck him into a tiny holding cell that smelt like rotten meat. It was actually rather dim compared to the hall where they’d come from. He tried scanning the room, feeling dizzy and needing to lean back against the wall for support. The ribbon was sealed to the armor - worse, to his skin in a binding spell woven to his life-blood. 

 

Clever. 

 

His status would keep him alive, at least, until he was completely sucked dry from this stupid thing. Forcing himself to relax and take a deep breath, he tried looking around again. He knew the room was circular, but there was little else beyond the row of cells in front him. There were cells on each side of him running just as far down. Unfortunately, his vision was hazy. He couldn’t tell if there was someone else trapt down here with him or if it was just the shadows playing tricks on him.

 

The stench wasn’t getting any better, either. Squinting, he was able to spot patches of dried blood coating the bars. Hyda must have been doing experiments - he lurched forward, realizing the person who he thought was right next to him was a corpse left positioned in the corner of the other cell with their arm twisted around the bar, it holding them up in place. They still had their skin - mostly, as he could vaguely see an intricate cut of flesh had been removed from the chest and upper abdomen. Their hand ...their hand was malformed, and it was twisted. If he could get himself closer without toppling over he’d -

 

“Tony?” A voice asked, soft, and almost breathless. 

He didn’t dignify it a response. It sounded like - It sounded like James. But that would be too easy. It must have been a trick. 

 

“Tony, you fucking moron,” James hissed. His voice was coming from Tony’s left. “What’re you doing here?” It sounded like he was trying not to yell. 

 

Tony blinked, finally able to steady himself against the bars. “James?” He questioned hesitantly. This couldn’t be real. 

 

James huffed, the steam from his nostrils clear as day  from straight across in the opposite cell. Then, James himself sauntered forward, his face covered in shadow as Tony’s eyes widened at  the empty socket where his silver-toned ore arm should be. “Yeah,” He chuckled darkly. “I promise Hyda isn’t warping your mind. But that doesn’t answer my question. I’m hoping you’re not being a self sacrificing idiot?”

 

“I thought it was in the job description.” Tony said, grimacing. But it was true none-the-less. It was what he did, what his team did, protecting the innocent and fighting to keep peace - and James was his friend, regardless of how Tony felt about him. Or, especially  _ because _ of how Tony felt about him. 

 

“I’m not in need of rescuing,” James said plainly.

 

Tony gestured at James’ missing arm, “Clearly,” he said dryly. 

 

“I’d been following rumors of Hydra trying to resurrect the Red Skull. You must have noticed the missing villagers just to get this far - Hydra has them working in the mines. I’ve also seen a few attending a couple of the higher-up’s. Others have been used in experiments,” James referenced the corpse from the other cell. “I wanted to get close. Figure out what was going on. So far all I can gather is they’re preparing for some kind of ritual.” 

 

“And -  _ ahem _ \- your arm?”

 

“They’re gonna wanna replicate the ore’s magical formula, obviously.” He snorted. 

“Solid plan, ten-out-of-ten. I love it,” Tony said sarcastically. And here he thought he knew the limit of James’ recklessness. 

 

“I didn’t need you throwing a wrench into, if that’s what you mean.” James retorted. “I know what I’m doing. I’ve faced far worse missions than this, Tony. Now I’m stuck having to keep you safe.” 

 

Ouch, his words stung. Tony tried not to visibly flinch, shifting his gaze to the floor.  

 

“Not - not like that. I didn’t mean it like that.” James rushed to correct himself, suddenly kicking in the cell door and busting through Tony’s just as easily like some kind of human-shaped battering ram. “I--” He stumbled over his words, realizing Tony was completely dumbfounded.

 

“Well, okay then,” Tony swallowed. Trust him, he was absolutely dumbfounded - and maybe his mouth was also a little dry. He’d seen Steve smash through wooden doors on occasion, but nothing utilizing such raw strength. It was … Well, it sure was something alright. He planned to say something more coherent once he picked up his jaw off the floor. 

 

“Tony? Tony, hey?” James waved a hand in front his face. “Let’s get this off you. I’m gonna need you to hold out your wrist,” He asked, reminding Tony that this hand was currently his  _ only _ hand at the moment, as if somehow Tony had forgotten in a lustful stupor.

 

Ehehe. Right. “ _ Right _ ,” He repeated aloud, quickly offering his arm. He imagined James’ fingers as warm and calloused, tenderly caressing his wrist, but it was impossible to feel James while inside the armor. This wasn’t the time to get lost in idle fantasies - Hydra was their first priority, and like hell was he gonna let James finish this alone. 

 

With the ribbon gone, his felt his senses slowly returning, his magic humming underneath his skin. He’d worry about his staff later, when there was more time to dwell on Hydra fiddling with his inventions. The armor was everything he needed. “What’s the plan?” He asked, signalling James to lead the way. 

“Break into the apothecary. That’s what they’ve been calling it, anyway. It’s where they’ve been doing the majority of their experiments.” James said, then sighed. “It’s also the likeliest place to find my arm.”

 

Together, they formulated a plan that involved Tony facing the apothecary’s main entrance head on while James hid from the ceiling, essentially leaving Tony as bait so James could snatch back his arm. What Tony wasn’t expecting was James to shift into his drake form - it was such a seamless transformation as James crouched forward mid-walk and simply shifted, skin bleeding into dark, smoke colored scales.  

 

Drakes were easily mistaken for Dragons, but they were barely the size of a small boar, and could see better in the dark than any creature in the known world. They shifted between Drake and human form, but they were Drakes first and humans second, rarely bothering to mingle with human society. James was born human, fighting alongside Steve as nothing more than a mortal boy training to be a knight. He didn’t just return as a man turned superhuman - he returned as something else. Something he’s never explained to anyone before, not even Natasha.  

Midway through the single corridor leading from the prison cells to the apothecary, the corridor abruptly expanded into a large dome. Two Hydra statues towered over them on either side, glimmering silver and at least ten feet tall. A circular, metal floor colored green was positioned in the center, including a matching circle of green tapestries hanging from the ceiling.

 

Tony spotted James’ ears twitching, and then James quickly snaked through the tapestries right as another Drake, scales more emerald than the floor, charged, slamming Tony directly into the wall. 

 

When the hell did Hydra recruit a Drake!?

 

Fuck. 

 

Tony tasted the iron in his mouth, his lip was busted and he was sure his head was also bleeding. The Drake had planted their claws digging into his helmet, slamming his head against the wall again and again, the knocking making his ears burst, ringing so loud it was deafening. 

James flew in, tackling the other Drake to the floor. They rolled across the metal green plating, their talons flicking across it in a screech while in a fight for dominance. 

 

Meanwhile Tony braced himself and rolled himself off the floor using his knees.  He had to discard his helmet, tossing it to the floor aimlessly in an effort to chase after them. Blood trickled into his eyes - he wiped it away and focused on aiming for emerald scales and not James, charging all his magic into the palms of his hands. Bracing himself, he fired.

 

Blue static burst from his palms, hotter than the sun, and engulfing everything in pure white light. He could hear James and the other Drake both screaming, bodies thumping and clawing, the stalagmites behind them shattering into pieces - all within a second. 

 

“James!” He shouted, rushing forward, but a slender hand stopped him dead in his tracks, coiling around the exposed skin of his neck like a vice. 

 

“Not so fast Stark,” Her husky yet cold voice spoke, her breath ghosting along his ear. “There’s no point in you killing yourselves when I have so many better uses.”

 

He felt himself go cold. James was missing from his line of sight, and she hauled him forward, her grip far too powerful to break, leading him into the apothecary. He squeezed his eyes shut - James had to have been okay!  _ But what were they going to do to him? _

 

Nothing they weren’t already planning to do, he accepted bitterly. She - whoever she was - had just said so herself. 

 

The onslaught of rotting flesh peppering the air hit him in the face. White sage was burning all across the room, apparently trying to mask the scent (and failing miserably). There was a small altar in the very center, while rows of tables littered in jars and vials were placed haphazardly in no defined arrangement. 

 

It was expansive - nothing like any of the previous rooms, including dozens of smaller alcoves shaped out of the stalagmites. Yet Tony could only spot a few people, mostly the villagers Hydra had kept as slaves pushing massive carts full of precious metals and what looked to be carved meat. The rest appeared to be some sort mage, dressed in heavy green robes, attending to the center altar - and most terrifying of all, to the Dragon Husk mounted in front of it.

 

“Red Skull,” Tony gasped. 

 

“Indeed.” She answered, allowing to stop and marvel at the beast. He was clearly dead - or, Tony supposed the better way to phrase would be he wasn’t yet alive. “The supreme leader was never a Dragon, of course. But humans corpses are far too weak to handle the strain inflicted upon them during the summoning ritual.  We decided your James but me a viable option, at first. I decided to leave him as a treat instead.”

  
  


“Drakes were … also unsuitable,” She continued. “In the end, we’ve left nothing to waste.” And then she gestured at Red Skull’s neck where the seams started to show and pieces of different colored skins and scales created a blocked pattern down the curve of his ribs and further along his stomach. 

 

“And what do you want with me?”

 

“You are a powerful Knight-Enchanter Stark.” She tenderly wiped the blood off his lip with her thumb, making him flinch away. “Your magic and skill, along with that genius head of yours would prove most useful in making certain the ritual is a success.” 

 

“Never,” He bit out.

 

“All in due ti -” She tried to caress his cheek, only halting when an explosion blasted off from the left side of the room, a pink smoke starting envelope the room. 

 

One of the mages took charge, casting purple lighting into the direction of the explosion, and then was ripped away into the smoke as quickly as you could blink. 

 

The other mages followed suit - but before Tony was able to ground himself and strike, his ruthless capture pulled him down to his knees by his scalp. She stepped on his wrist, grinding in her boot until it felt like his gauntlet was going to snap and slice his hand clean off. 

 

“You will do what I ask of you, or I can find a new means of motivation. The Supreme Leader would forgive me the loss of a toy in the wake of his prosperous arrival.” She threatened. 

 

Then it clicked in his head - she’d been purposely ignoring James the whole time. Studying his arm, sure, but there was no reason to kill him. And so what if he killed a couple of easily replicable knights when he was bait for the Sovereign’s team of avengers - bait  just for Tony once Steve brought him running to save the day. 

 

“What, I can’t be the only poor moron than can properly perform a necromancy ritual?” He laughed sarcastically, suddenly defeated. Then he turned serious, staring her in the eyes, “You let him go. Alive, all his limbs attached, and I’ll do whatever it is you want with me. My will is yours.”

 

She gestured to the altar, releasing him and stepping out of the way. And, already growing numb inside, he began calculating the dimensions of the floor and the type of circle he’d need to create. No, wait - he’d need to draw a compass counterclockwise, it was like a circle, but metaphorically it was supposed to represent the journey down into the underworld. He ignored the tools Hydra had set. All he needed was a stick and his armor. 

 

“Tony!” James shrieked, shifting from Drake to human again, charging in to try and stop him. “Tony, you can’t!”

 

“He’s made a deal,” She countered him, swift as a viper. 

 

“Tony - Tony please!”

 

But Tony shut his eyes, squeezing his hands into fists. “Only one of us gets to leave, James. It’s me they wanted. I can’t -” His voice cracked. 

 

James hesitated. It hurt to look at him when he finally stepped away, his lips pressed together in a hard line. 

 

“James, please, you need to leave. They’ll kill you if you stay.” Tony pleaded now.

 

“I’ll have to kill you if try to summon him.” James said bluntly, yet his eyes glimmered from unshed tears. 

 

“Move quickly Stark. I’m losing patience.” 

 

Screw the compass. He was strong to summon a virtual demon anyday, no ceremonial ritual required. He’d just have to survive long enough make sure James made it out alive.  And should James keep his promise of killing Tony, then it would work out all the better in the end, wouldn’t it? How could he hurt James like this? How could he disappoint Steve, knowing Red Skull was Steve’s greatest enemy? 

 

He outstretched his arms, focusing on the mounted Dragon’s body, chanting a basic incantation under his breath.  

  
  


There was a moment - an eternity - where everything melted away, and he hovered in the emptiness between life and death. Whispers. Echoes. Then the fire cascading down his chest, scorching him from inside his very bones. 

 

He was shattered from his trance when James threw him to the ground. Smoke was rising off his armor as James quickly put out the flames. Shit. What the hell had just happened?

 

“Hurry up!” James grit through his teeth. “We need to move. Now!”

 

Tony grunted and rolled onto his stomach, coming face to face witch Red Skull, his eyes glowing with hatred. His body was also glowing from the inside out, and Tony could see the fire sparking in his stomach through the holes of skin where Hydra failed to finish sowing him together. He was struggling against his restraints, popping open more of his flesh and tearing it apart the seams. 

 

“Tony!” James hit him across his thigh. “For the love of everything,  _ move _ !”

 

He snapped out of it just in time for their nameless capture to sweep down from above and coil her tail around James’ neck. Simultaneously, a small group of Hydra knight’s burst through the doorway, charging in frantically. 

 

It was chaos.

 

Red Skull made a gurgling noise, a sound that radiated through Tony’s head as laughter - amusement. The dragon was gawky and slow in his movements. Still the knights had no chance as Red Skull turned his focus away from the three of them, billowing out fire and brimstone upon his own servants, the rage overflowing in Tony’s head. 

 

In the same breathe, Tony forced himself on his feet, aiming a blast from his gauntlet straight at the Drake’s head dead on. “We made a deal, or did you just forget and were just gonna stab me in the back the whole time?” He spit out. 

 

She dodged, swinging around to the right and slamming James down to the floor. James, however, grabbed at her tail with both his hand to leverage himself and bit right into her, ripping through her scales with his teeth. 

 

Tony took the opening and blasted another beam, scarring her shoulder. She had to release her hold around James’s neck, swooping back around, dodging Tony’s next blast by shielding herself in one of the smaller alcoves opposite Red Skull’s left flank. 

 

“Ignore her,” James rushed to his feet and dug his fingers into Tony’s shoulder. 

 

“James -” 

 

“No. I don’t care - it doesn’t matter. Just move! We can use Hydra’s confusion to our advantage.” But as he tried to physically force Tony to finally start moving in the direction of the damn door, he stumbled, knocking his head into Tony’s shoulder.

 

“You’re bleeding,” Tony said, spotting the dark red staining James’ pant leg. 

 

“I’m fine,” James insisted. 

 

_ Let him go. He’s weak. _

 

Tony blinked, his eyes snapping up to meet Red Skull’s gaze towering above him.  

_ He’ll drag you down _ , Red Skull said. His voice was in Tony’s head.  _ I’m surprised you didn’t realize. Summoning my soul directly connected us together - my life force powered by yours. We are one _ , He explained. 

 

Tony felt bile rising in his throat.  _ Then all I have to do is die, and you’ll die with me _ , he thought back. How convenient. 

 

_ Perhaps.  _

 

“James,” Tony nudged him, swallowing.  “Listen, I know I fucked up. Can you shift? I can’t carry you, buddy. We’ll - we’re gonna get out of here alive, yeah? But have to promise me you’ll do what you said - James you shouldn’t have waited to kill me, why - why -”

 

“Shut up, I’m fine.” James replied. He grunted, forcing himself to stand on both legs with Tony’s help. Except when he tried to lean forward to shift he lost balance. 

 

“All right, change of plan.” Tony wrapped James’ arm over his shoulder and worked his way towards the door. James did his best not to slow them both down by hopping on his good leg. 

 

Tony could  _ feel _ Red Skull’s distaste in the back of his mind - and wasn’t that a horrifying realization. They were able to sense each other's thoughts and clearly also each other’s emotions. What if Red Skull could sense his memories? What if he could sense that St - no. He had to keep his mind focused on his goal. 

 

He couldn’t understand why James didn’t strike when he had the chance. James could have killed Tony easily, even with that other Drake battling against him. But with the way Red Skull was trailing after them, slaughtering through another wave of Hydra like it was second thought, the ground shaking and quivering from the Dragon’s hulking weight, Tony knew he could use the ceiling collapsing to his advantage. 

 

Red Skull singed the doorway closed, leaving them to redirect the opposite direction where the only other doorway stood. He refused to let them escape.

 

He also refused to let Tony die, burning the other Drake to death right before their eyes when she re-appeared from the darkness of alcoves to swoop back in and tear Tony away from James, all in vain. 

 

So, Tony abruptly stopped, ignoring James’ frustrated grunt and held out his hand, charging up his energy beam. Red Skull maneuvered around a large stalagmite, craning his neck to see. He roared at them, watching Tony aiming his gauntlet directly at him and then pressing the beam against his skull. 

 

“Tony!” James lunged at him. Tony was faster, dropping James’s weight completely and side-stepping him so James hit the floor with a thunk. He grabbed at Tony’s leg, bringing Tony down with roughly and straddled him, pressing Tony’s chest painfully into the dirt. “Fucking - stop it, please!”

 

“You don’t understand!” Tony shouted back, trying to dig his way out from under James’s body. 

 

“I do. I know you’ve bound yourself to him by making him a lich. But I couldn’t do - Tony, I - I can’t kill you. We’ll find another way. You’re a genius.”

 

_ Ah, I see the boy turns out to be useful to me afterall. I can sense you do not want to die, Stark. Even if you so desperately strive to feel so. And as Ophelia had so kindly offered, I’ll allow him to live _ , Red Skull said. He scanned the ceiling, deciding to smash the end of his tail into wall and straight through the stalagmites. The ceiling shattered, caving in bit by bit, and he crawled his way over the debris like a stairway. 

 

“No!” Tony screamed. He needed to get away from James. He needed to isolate himself, to finish the job. He - “Why?” He croaked, defeated. What a mess he sure had made.

 

James hesitated to slide off him, making an expression Tony couldn’t quite decipher. “I care about you,” He said simply - and Tony tried not to fumble in his attempt to stand from the immediate fluttering of his heart. 

 

“I know,” Tony said. James’ ore-stoned arm was located somewhere in this mess Red Skull left behind. He commenced digging through the closet table he could reach, tossing empty vials and moldy phylacteries on the floor. Of course James cared about him. That meant everything to him, knowing he had James friendship. He didn’t need anymore to believe James’ life meant more than his own. Tony would always place himself last in the wake of those who deserved the very best.  He knew they could easily move on without him, with time. Whereas there was no world worth living in without them - no world living without James. 

 

At least, that’s what he keeps reminding himself.

 

“You don’t know,” James countered. “You don’t have any idea how much you mean to me. Because I’ve never told you. Because I thought it was a risk.”

“It is a risk.” Tony said automatically, continuing on until he spotted James’s arm latched inside a clear compartment located on the far end of the room. It wasn’t worth trying to wander around this place. There was no guarantee if it all hadn’t collapsed, leaving them stuck climbing the rocks like Red Skull had only minutes ago.

 

Snapping James’ arm into place was pretty easy, and now having both hands he was able to shift into his Drake form, leading the way by relying on his wings to carry his weight. The sun was setting by the time they reached the top, the opening edging close to the cliffs facing the sea.   

 

There was no reason to hurry, James’ foot would be fully healed by morning once he got it elevated, and Tony braved the journey to fetch them apples from the apple groves he had passed the morning before. Two days they’d been held captive by Hydra, by all accounts - now not even the magical barrier Hydra cast around the perimeter was standing. 

 

They’d need to send a raven to Steve. May the Universe have mercy upon his soul, he’d have to explain all this to Carol.  Carefully, he searched his mind for any signs of Red Skull but thankfully he was met with silence. Red Skull must have been in hiding somewhere, at least for now. 

 

“Hey,” James said, drawing himself in close against Tony’s chest. The armor must have been freezing, yet James hardly seemed to mind. “Did you mean what you said before? You really believe what we feel about each other is really a risk?”

 

“Yes.” No. “I don’t know.” He sighed. “I can’t bare the thought of losing you. It’s why I came, it’s why I …”  _ Why I bound myself to the Red Skull forever _ . 

 

“Then let’s get through just tonight? One step at a time - this thing with Red Skull, and better yet, this thing between you and me?”

 

Tony looked down, catching James’ eyes. He carefully slotted their fingers together - James’ flesh hand in his - and let himself give a little grin. “Alright. I think I can work with that.” He supposed it was worth a shot, even when he knew it’d fail in the end. 

They’d have tonight. 

 


End file.
